'Government shrines'. A category of shrines identified as important by the Meiji government in 1871/2. Kansha were differentiated from shosha, general or miscellaneous shrines. In 1945 there were 209 kansha shrines and 109,824 shosha, of which over 105,000 were small 'village' or 'unranked' shrines. The kansha/shosha distinction was abolished in 1945 when Shinto was disestablished.
See Shakaku seido.
A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Brian Bocking.